Demetrius Andrade stripped of WBO light middleweight title

Demetrius Andrade (21-0, 14 KOs) has been stripped of his WBO light middleweight title after 13 months of inactivity.

The 2008 US Olympian won the belt when he outpointed Vanes Martirosyan in November 2013 and defended it by stopping British challenger Brian Rose in the seventh round in June 2014. But now the WBO have stripped him of the title for failing to defend it since.

He was supposed to defend his title against Jermell Charlo last December, but Andrade turned down the purse offered and pulled out of the negotiations. Andrade was hoping to make a title defence against 40-year-old Anthony Mundine, but the WBO ruled out the fight because Mundine is not ranked in the top 15 by the Organisation.

Andrade has 14 days to appeal, but the decision is unlikely to be changed.